Given that the racial categorization of human beings is an eternal Pandora's box, with serious implications in the realm of Public Affairs, Public Relations, Public Diplomacy and communication in general, I thought I would share my recent Facebook stream on the topic of the racial categories available on the 2010 Census Form and open up the conversation for more comments:
Sara Bruya Have you filled out the Census form? I love in the race question how there's just a general "White" category, a "Black, African American or Negro" category and then you can choose whether you're Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, etc. Since when are nationalities racial categories? And how come someone from Africa has to count as African American--as if there are no cultural differences?
Eli Bierwag
Yeah, that's interesting. I took an African American History class, and my teacher was born and educated in Kenya. On the first day of class we had a discussion about whether we would consider him 'African American.' Many of us (me included, possibly...) initially thought "yes he is African American. He is an American citizen, born in Africa." But ... See Morehe was quick to point out that being black, and even being from Africa did not make him 'African American' in his eyes. He felt that 'African American' is a term specifically for those black Americans whose roots go back to the slave trade. He said that even though he identified himself as an American citizen, his heritage was African, and he considered himself such if someone were to ask him.
Sara Bruya
That's great Eli, I'm glad your professor distinguished that for your class. The "African American" experience is quite distinct from the experience of Africans who come to the U.S. It would be so helpful if more of the U.S. population (particularly those in government) understood that!
Eli Bierwag
I searched and searched my census form for German, German American, or even Teuton American...but alas...
Sara Bruya
I actually asked Reynolds Farley, a Research Scientist at the University of Michigan’s Population Studies Center (he teaches a course onthe Census 2010) about the categories and here's what he said:
Robert Matsui served in Congress representing Sacramento for 20 years or so. He feared that some Asians would not mark down Asian for their race if they did not see their national origin specifically listed. Many Filipinos and some from India may not often think of themselves as Asians. In the late 1980s, Congressman Matsui added a rider to a military appropriations bill specifying that the census form list 29 Asian nationalities as if they were races. The Reagan Administration needed funds for defense so they caved and asked him what was the minimum he would accept. That is how we got that list. Once a name is on the form, no administration wants to remove it for fear of alienating some voters.
The Census Bureau is experimenting with a different race question that will allow us to identify with a major race such as White, Black or Asian and then write a term for our identity such as Irish, Ibo or Cambodian. If these tests are successful, that will likely be the format of the race question next time around. Representative Matsui crossed over
to the other side but some other member of Congress could do something similar.
Robert Matsui served in Congress representing Sacramento for 20 years or so. He feared that some Asians would not mark down Asian for their race if they did not see their national origin specifically listed. Many Filipinos and some from India may not often think of themselves as Asians. In the late 1980s, Congressman Matsui added a rider to a military appropriations bill specifying that the census form list 29 Asian nationalities as if they were races. The Reagan Administration needed funds for defense so they caved and asked him what was the minimum he would accept. That is how we got that list. Once a name is on the form, no administration wants to remove it for fear of alienating some voters.
The Census Bureau is experimenting with a different race question that will allow us to identify with a major race such as White, Black or Asian and then write a term for our identity such as Irish, Ibo or Cambodian. If these tests are successful, that will likely be the format of the race question next time around. Representative Matsui crossed over
to the other side but some other member of Congress could do something similar.
Bearcat Brant
I was wondering the same thing. thanks for the research!
Steve Robertson
What happens to Hispanic, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Luxemborg, Native Americans then? Tell me that pleeease......
Matar K Alotaibi
loooooooool ... Im trying to figure out where Arabs fit in the categories....
Sara Bruya
Wow Matar, there was NO category for Arabs! That's amazing! This country has such a f*ing blind spot when it comes to its Arab population!
I received an e-mail from my undergrad alumni association - telling me to write down 'Turk' as a race (which turned out to be a national campaign in fact - all Turkish associations want people to write Turk as a race).
ReplyDeleteYou know what, it is never too late to learn your real race. I learned that 'Turk' was a race, and I guess I am a Turk (as a race, nationality, and ethnicity).